zany

¹za·ny

noun \ˈzā-nē\

plural zanies

Definition of ZANY

1

: a subordinate clown or acrobat in old comedies who mimics ludicrously the tricks of the principal : merry-andrew

2

: a slavish follower : toady

3

a : one who acts the buffoon to amuse others

b : nut, kook

Examples of ZANY

1. <hired a zany to entertain the children at the birthday party>
2. <one of the challenges of hosting a radio call-in program is preventing the zanies from completely taking over the discussion>

Origin of ZANY

Italian zanni, a traditional masked clown, from Italian dialect Zanni, nickname for Italian Giovanni John

First Known Use: 1588

Related to ZANY

Synonyms

buffo, buffoon, harlequin, clown

Related Words

cutup, madcap; antic [archaic], fool, gracioso, jester, motley, scaramouch (or scaramouche); mime, mimic, mummer, pantaloon; comedian, comedienne, comic, droll, farceur, funnyman, gagger, gagman, gagster, humorist, joker, jokester, merry-andrew, second banana, stand-up, top banana, wag, wit

Near Antonyms

conformer, conformist, follower, sheep

Other Performing Arts Terms

diva, dramaturgy, loge, prestidigitation, proscenium, supernumerary

Rhymes with ZANY

Beni, brainy, grainy, rainy, veiny

²zany

adjective

za·ni·erza·ni·est

Definition of ZANY

1

: being or having the characteristics of a zany

2

: fantastically or absurdly ludicrous <a zany movie>

— za·ni·ly \ˈzā-nə-lē\ adverb

— za·ni·ness \ˈzā-nē-nəs\ noun

Examples of ZANY

1. <a zany plan to drive cross-country on a motorized scooter>

First Known Use of ZANY

1609

Related to ZANY

Synonyms

absurd, asinine, balmy, brainless, bubbleheaded, cockeyed, crackpot, crazy, cuckoo, daffy, daft, dippy, dotty, fatuous, featherheaded, fool, half-baked, harebrained, half-witted, inept, insane, jerky, kooky (also kookie), loony (also looney), lunatic, lunkheaded, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, sappy, screwball, senseless, silly, simpleminded, stupid, tomfool, unwise, wacky (also whacky), weak-minded, witless, foolish

Antonyms

judicious, prudent, sagacious, sage, sane, sapient, sensible, sound, wise

Related Words

airheaded, birdbrained, boobish, brain-dead, chowderheaded, chuckleheaded, clueless, dense, dim, dim-witted, doltish, dopey (also dopy), dorky [slang], dull, dumb, dunderheaded, empty-headed, fatuous, feebleminded, gormless [chiefly British], idiotic (also idiotical), imbecile (or imbecilic), knuckleheaded, lamebrain (or lamebrained), mindless, moronic, oafish, obtuse, opaque, pinheaded, simple, slow, slow-witted, soft, softheaded, thoughtless, thick, thickheaded, unintelligent, vacuous, witless; fallacious, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, surd, unreasonable, unreasoning, unsound, weak; farcical, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous; notional; buffoonish, clownish; ill-advised, unconsidered, unreasoned

Near Antonyms

brainy, bright, clever, intelligent, smart; logical, rational, reasonable, valid; well-advised

Other Performing Arts Terms

diva, dramaturgy, loge, prestidigitation, proscenium, supernumerary, zany